The Green Mile

Rating:
Summary: Unbeliveable
Review: Alright, starting off this movie was more than i expected. It was set in the mid 1930's in Alabama with Tom Hanks playing an amazing prison guard assigned to "The green mile" the last strip of cells on death row. He meets an amazing black man who has a special talent in healing and who really struck me as a good man. He was charged with the rape and murder of two little girls but tom hanks knew he wasn't capable of committing such an act.

Rating:
Summary: "Shawshank Redemption" it definitely ain't
Review: After hearing several mixed reviews about this film, I finally viewed it on VHS recently. Let me just say that viewers expecting a gritty, ultimately uplifting prison drama of the quality of "Shawshank Redemption" are going to be disappointed. Which is not to say that "The Green Mile" does not have some things going for it--the leads give fine performances all around, and newcomer David Morse makes an indelible impression as a sociopathic guard who is far more dangerous than anyone who is locked up on the Green Mile. Tom Hanks' inherent Everyman quality makes even implausible situations seem possible, and he gives a workmanlike performance here. Kudos go also to Michael Clarke Duncan, who manages to radiate dignity even while portraying essentially a freak-show cartoon of a man. The flaws of this film are primarily the flaws of... a writer of the source novel: tediously overlong by at least an hour; overreliance on character stereotypes; obsession with the scatological--we are treated to WAY too many scenes of Tom Hanks' character trying to pee with a raging UTI; and the tendency of a gleeful adolescent to exploit the "gross-out" factor even though it adds nothing substantial to the story. What the heck are those bugs John Coffey's always gagging up supposed to represent? ("Coffey"--get it?) The scene of a maliciously botched execution goes on much longer than necessary to make the point This is DEFinitely not appropriate viewing for children, or anyone who is disturbed by scenes of needless torture. The scene of a mouse getting smashed is also upsetting. If you enjoy this kind of thing, then by all means purchase "The Green Mile" for your personal collection. For this reviewer, one trip down the Green Mile was plenty. This stands in sharp contrast to the earlier "Shawshank Redemption", another King work also directed by Frank Darabont, which I can watch again and again for the real human drama it contains.

Rating:
Summary: Sure as heck isn't Shawshank
Review: Stephen King and Frank Darabont attempt to recreate the success of "The Shawshank Redemption" but just can't pull it off. Although this film wasn't bad it still couldn't sustain entertainment for three hours. The directing and acting were superb but that is no reason to nominate this over "Magnolia" or the greatest film ever made "Being John Malkovich". The story itself was compromised by some serious changes in the narative that were definately better in the book. Although no movie can be the book (except Goodfellas which was better!) it still could have stuck to the path. So in conclusion it was good and worth a viewing but multiple viewings will make you want the chair.

Rating:
Summary: Definitely worth seeing
Review: When I first had the opportunity to see "The Green Mile", I remembered my local newspaper giving it a mediocre review, and I almost passed. I'm sure glad that I didn't...this movie was definitelly worth seeing at least once, and while it has been criticized for its length, the fact is, one of the strengths of this movie was the ability for the director to flesh out each individual character.

This movie may not be something I'd want to see more than once, due to it's length (Think about it...if you watched it 8 times, you'd already have spent an entire day of your life watching this movie), but for the one time that I did see it, I saw a movie of masterful artistry and skill, with great acting to boot. For those who said that they fell asleep during this movie...well, they can go on and have their "Rambo IX"...if you want an intelligent, well thought out movie, I would definitely recommend "The Green Mile".

Rating:
Summary: Unbelievably smarmy film for the liberal humanism set
Review: This movie is a joke in terms of its execution. The idea -- an investigation of racism in the American justice system -- is certainly worthy and timely. That's why you see "American Justice" shows on A&E and the discovery channel, shows that probe why blacks do not get adequate legal counsel in this country, and why this inadequate counsel and residual racism in the juries leads to unequal representation of blacks on death row. This movie skimps on the tough questions and substitutes hokum. Several questions for the filmmakers: Why does the black man have to be borderline retarded, yet saintly? Can't he be a complex, three-dimensional person with flaws? Why are all the guards so upstanding? Is this true of real life? Why are the other prisoners Nazis? Why is the time period the 1930s? Racism doesn't exist now? Can someone please answer these questions for me.

This is the standard Hollywood treatment of a "social movie." It's sole purpose is to get liberal whites to bawl and shake their heads at how "bad the negroes have had it in the past" without getting those same whites to ask serious questions about American justice today and what can be done to change it. Sympathy for a Christ-like giant is NOT the same as intervening in racist practices. See BAMBOOZLED for a film that has something to say. THE GREEN MILE is pure suds.

Rating:
Summary: Good Story
Review: The Green Mile is a great movie. Directed by Frank Darabont, the director of The Shawshank Redemption, it's story is wonderful as he directs nothing but wonderful scripts. It was adapted from a Stephen King novel. The movie stars Tom Hanks as a prison guard on a death row block. Michael Clarke Duncan is a prisoner who was convicted of killing two little girls. On the prison block, Tom's character Paul learns a little something about life. The bad guy, Percy, was also very convincing to the point where you just wanted to strangle him. The acting was extremely impressive and the show itself was great. Some may be taken off by the slightly violent electrocutions. But other than that, it is a movie that is definately worth seeing. --Michael

Rating:
Summary: In Trance for over 3 Hours
Review: Saw this movie in the Cinema and while I was watching it I was in a deep trance for over 3 Hours. It is a brilliant film and Michael Clarke Duncan plays a brilliant part as John Coffey. The film brought tears to my eyes. But also some laughters. The following day I wen't out to by the film on DVD.

Rating:
Summary: Symbolic And Satisfying
Review: An old man in a nursing home begins to cry as he watches the flickering figures of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers dancing in Top Hat. Decades ago, he saw the same movie under far different circumstances and, as he says in a voice-over, "sometimes the past catches up with you whether you want it to or not."

The past, specifically the year 1935, when he watched the movie alongside a condemned man he was guarding, has caught up to Paul Edgecomb (Hanks) with a vengeance in The Green Mile, an exhaustive and exhausting inspirational drama that once again finds director-writer Frank Darabont (The Shawshank Redemption) faithfully adapting to the screen a prison novel by Stephen King.

Edgecomb's flood of tears is in response to memories of his years spent supervising prisoners on death row and overseeing their executions. One prisoner, a gargantuan, childlike man named John Coffey (Duncan), haunts him still. Coffey, convicted of raping and killing two small girls, turns out to have mystical healing powers. Edgecomb becomes convinced Coffey is innocent. (Hint for the symbolically curious: Not for nothing are Coffey's initials J.C.)

At 3 hr. 10 min., The Green Mile--the title refers to the green linoleum upon which a condemned man takes his final walk- doesn't wear you down. You either completely buy into the movie's basic view of right and wrong and the good guys getting revenge thanks to miracles, or you find yourself, echoing Peter Pan on behalf of a fading Tinker Bell, muttering cynically, "If you believe in fairies, clap your hands." Hanks, doing a variation on his sincere Everyman, holds strong at the center of the movie while Duncan (Armageddon) shines in a role that calls for him to be both noble and dumb. Hunt, playing Hanks's supportive wife, works wonders in a small part.

Miracles, a mouse, and Disney magic--symbolism abounds in an emotional film of suspended disbelief.

Rating:
Summary: A great Stephen King classic...
Review: If ya haven't read the books then watch this movie first!!

Great ensemble acting and it brings to life the chain of events of men on death row ~ one in particular who has a great gift he can share with others...

It made me cry in places as it shows there is good in the world to overcome the evil. You just have to believe.

Rating:
Summary: So powerful and moving, I don't know where to begin...
Review: Wow. That's all I have to say. Wow. The Green Mile tells the tale of a miracle-working man on death-row, and, basically, expresses the truths of life. I wasn't exactly sure what to expect when I checked out the movie, but I am so happy and sad and emotionally-wrecked right now I'm glad I did...The acting of The Green Mile was so superb, I never once felt that they were just actors playing a part. Tom Hanks was genious, and it is well worth your effort to see the movie just because of him, but the real star of the show I would say is Michael Clarke Duncan as John Coffey, the miracle-working giant man on death row for the murder of 2 little girls. His acting ability is beyond words. At first glance in the movie, he looks a little scary, but then you notice this kind ora, I suppose; this in-voluntary portrayal of peace and goodness about him... he gives his character depth and warmth and made him alive as John Coffey.I completely understand why this movie is rated "R". A couple of scenes are definitely not approprite for little eyes and ears. For example, the scenes of actual executions in the electric chair are unbelievably realistic, and very scary for younger viewers. One in particular is just the thing to keep kids up at night with nightmares. The Green Mile is one of the most intense movies I've ever seen. Though long, you really don't even notice as you get caught up in it. It has a LOT of death and painful situations, ones even I wasn't expecting to see, but the entire movie is BAM! So emotional and heart-wrenching and hopeful and saddening and beautiful and ugly and just plain wonderful was as ever a movie I've seen. They took their time getting their meesage across, building up the people (they weren't characters, they were REAL!) , and slowly but surely showing the truths of life and love. At the end of the movie, you can't help but continue thinking about the plot and ideas expressed... it's been almost an hour since I saw it and I still can't get it out of my head...If you get the chance to see this movie, please don't pass it up. I don't know what else I can say that can convince you to watch it... It is one of the most powerful, moving, wonderous shows out, and frankly, you would be missing out on something big if you didn't see it.